Anna* now thought less often about the possibility that she might become angry and be completely overtaken by rage. The thoughts that she would not be able to avoid anger in the future became less obsessive. She still used the…
And here an answer disliked by many may appear: “it depends.” Disliked because it adds no certainty at all at the very moment when certainty is wanted most. Often this is the moment when, in the sessions, exactly what the…
Over time, meditation with the bracelet became routine.* Anna got used to the sensation of the stones. She already knew every unevenness and rough spot. Paradoxically, this was exactly what reduced the intensity of the sensations. She knew what the…
An old man worked at Tiflis railway station*. He used to clean steam boilers at night, but age no longer allowed him to do such heavy work. So the stationmaster gave him an easier task. Every morning and every evening,…
Black-and-white thinking is one of the most common psychological responses to stress, conflict, and emotional strain. At the same time, many people understand that phrases such as “everything is terrible,” “nothing will work out,” or “he always does this” rarely…
Anna’s story: two patterns of closeness and distance Anna* couldn’t reach orgasm and disliked people who tried to get too close, emotionally. For years she saw these two things as separate. Later, she realized that her experience fit the picture…